freebsd stable - Feb 2017 - Calling ATM NIC users: en(4), fatm(4), hatm(4), patm(4)

Our current ATM stack supports a small number of NICs that were
current in the late 90s[0].  None of them have been manufactured in a
long time and while you can buy hatm(4) devices on e-bay, it's
increasingly difficult to find a motherboard that will accept them.

I'd like to propose removing support for these NICs along with the
remaining ATM stack in FreeBSD 12.  This will give any existing users
a supported OS until at least September 30, 2021 per our published EOL
date for FreeBSD 11.

Would removal on this schedule cause you realistic hardship?  If so,
please let us know.

-- Brooks

[0] 1997 press release for the most advanced ATM NIC we support
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fore-systems-introduces-industrys-most-advanced-atm-adapter-for-enterprise-networking-77407267.html
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Hi,

there is a freebsd-atm mailing list (at least there used to be). Should have
been sent there too.

On the topic: I'd say: remove it. As the one who wrote/refactored much of
that stuff I get approximately one support request per year. The problem is,
that I can't really help, since while I have all of that equipment still
available, I don't have any time to do anything with it. So the entire ATM
stack is basically unsupported.

harti@

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-freebsd-net at freebsd.org [mailto:owner-freebsd-net at freebsd.org]
On Behalf Of Brooks Davis
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 2:33 AM
To: freebsd-stable at freebsd.org; freebsd-net at freebsd.org
Subject: Calling ATM NIC users: en(4), fatm(4), hatm(4), patm(4)

Our current ATM stack supports a small number of NICs that were current in the
late 90s[0].  None of them have been manufactured in a long time and while you
can buy hatm(4) devices on e-bay, it's increasingly difficult to find a
motherboard that will accept them.

I'd like to propose removing support for these NICs along with the remaining
ATM stack in FreeBSD 12.  This will give any existing users a supported OS until
at least September 30, 2021 per our published EOL date for FreeBSD 11.

Would removal on this schedule cause you realistic hardship?  If so, please let
us know.

-- Brooks

[0] 1997 press release for the most advanced ATM NIC we support
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fore-systems-introduces-industrys-most-advanced-atm-adapter-for-enterprise-networking-77407267.html